Posted on 09/04/2007 2:35:09 PM PDT by gpapa
Fred Thompson will announce his candidacy this week - but many pundits think that it is over before it started. Thompson missed his "moment" by holding out through the summer.
I could not disagree with this more. Without commenting on the likelihood of Thompson being the GOP nominee, I think it is wrong to argue that his chances to acquire the nomination have decreased because he has waited.
Thompson's problem is not the late announcement. It is, rather, the fact that his campaign has been poorly run. But this poor management may not be what you think. Changing staffers early, giving speeches that fall flat, fundraising that is a little weak - all of these are normal for a candidate who is just starting out, who up until recently never contemplated being president. Holding this against Thompson fails to take into account the learning curve that comes with these sorts of affairs. Instead, Thompson's problem has been that he has allowed the media to interpret all of these events as problems of his campaign, rather than as its natural and expected birth pangs. Thompson has failed to manage the expectations of the media. This is something that a candidate at any stage needs to do - and Thompson has not done it as well as he could have.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
Yup.
You forgot the most important fact. To be in the presidential election, over a year from now, you have to win the primaries. They start in about 100 days.
Candidates have got to learn not to delay.
The 2012 elections are just around the corner. When will the candidates for 2012 finally get around to declaring?
Claiming to be Black from the chest down?
Yep. Another chance for FReepers to attack each other.
Count me out.
Can any of the thousands of Fredheads here explain what, if any, advantage is gained by waiting this long to announce?
“Fred blew it when he wants to reward INVADERS!”
Got that right!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1889523/posts
Are you sure?
Last I heard, several states were still jockeying for time slots. Even heard Florida was told it’s delegates wouldn’t be seated because of its date change.
Have even heard rumors some primaries may be in 07 so as to be 1st. Seems to me that way too many of the primary dates are “unsettled”.
Your point is well taken however, in that the ‘08 election, to date, has been more of a circus than a serious election process.
No clue. I just saw his name here...
He has received far more airtime than the other Republican candidates without having to fall under the equal time clause. He is receiving more airtime during the crucial Labor Day weekend campaign period which generally designates the traditional kick off of primary campaigning. He will receive more airtime this week as he announces. He will have received more airtime around the crucial 9.11 time period. He sets himself apart from the business as usual campaigners by being an 'outsider'. He can establish most of his campaign unofficially, including web presence, State offices, etc, outside the campaign finance controls (ie, he can have most of his initial expenses covered before he has to declare his first quarter of revenue, thus, keeping more cash on hand.)
All in all, he leads by waiting.. why not wait if it works? What would be the advantage of declaring with all the others?
Besides campaign fatigue?
I am not a fredhead yet, and may never be, but can I ask the question in reverse:
what advantage to any candidates get by starting as early as they have?
And I don’t consider the states jockeying for early primaries as any kind of advantage.
John Cox needs to run for and win the Illinois Senate seat held by Husein Obama.
Better late than never...but better never late.
The Exon amendment was also a piss poor amendment in that it granted so many exceptions, it was useless. This also doesn’t show that Thompson co-supported a similar, competing amendment (that didn’t make it to vote because Exon was passed) that was worded the same but didn’t have the exceptions.
I haven’t looked into the Simpson amendment, but considering how the rest hacks up his quotes, and how they are using the debunked NumbersUSA votes, I have a feeling it would fall right in line with the others.
Jeri.
Looks like a friend of Larry Craig.
John “who”?????
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.